Meaning
by Sale el Sol
Summary: To mean something to someone - that was her greatest wish. FujiXOC FujiOC


_***Hello there! This is the first Prince of Tennis fic I've ever written by myself! It's alot different from what I usually write... Because Death Note and Prince of Tennis are very very very different. Enjoy, dahlings!  
**This is also for my best friend Melissa, a.k.a. cutelittleconniemiller, being the rabid Fuji fangirl she is... Because she likes men with 'pretty eyes'. ;)  
***Oh, I don't own Prince of Tennis. If I did, I wouldn't just dream of Kikumaru Eiji. I would stuff him in my closet and visit him quite often. =D**_

* * *

My spirit is impossibly competitive. That's my one distinctive trait – I cannot stand losing, ever. I'm kind of an angry person when it comes to that. My main outlet for any sort of emotional outburst is soccer; other than that, I'm a pretty mellow person. Soccer is my sport, the one athletic thing at which I'm decent. As such, tennis is most definitely not my thing, even though everyone else at Seigaku is obsessed with it.

High school is one year away. One year, and then middle school would start to fade away in my memory, and while I was content with how I'd gone through my middle school career, I started to realize that I hadn't been part of anything memorable. The worst part was that I didn't know how to fix that.

* * *

Our soccer team's extremely neglected in the realm of Seishun Gakuen – we're overshadowed by the tennis team, and due to lack of interest in the club soccer is coed. Because of this, our team captain, Akaro, decided that this was our year to really build up the funds of our program. He said that in order to do this, our prime priority had to be one huge fundraiser.

We went through the standard ideas – bake sales, car washes, candy sales – and none of them pleased Akaro whatsoever. Finally, my best friend Kiyomi, a bubbly midfielder, practically popped out of her chair. She, Akaro, and I had been friends since the second grade, and she jumped up and said, "Akaro-kun! I've got it! What about a people auction?"

Akaro raised an eyebrow. "I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the concept. Would you mind explaining it to me, Kiyomi-chan?"

She quickly ran through the fundamentals of it, saying she'd point out details later. Basically, she said, we auction off members of the team to people in the community, other clubs – anyone who will buy us, really, and in exchange for their money, they 'own' that player for the day. That way, the club doesn't have to spend any money on supplies or anything. We would earn the money through our labor. After Kiyomi finished explaining, a grin spread across Akaro's face.

"Well," he said, "I believe it is settled. Our fundraiser will be a people auction." Murmured excitement ran through the meeting of fourteen people – our entire soccer club, coach included.

* * *

Do mine eyes deceive me? Or is that the entire Seigaku boys tennis team in the bleachers before our game against Fudomine?

What the hell are they doing here?

I quickly approached Akaro during warm-ups, asking him why they were here – I don't think I'd ever seen a member of the tennis team at one of our games, so why did they all show up here _now_?

"Oh," he chuckled, "So you noticed? I'm good friends with Oishi-kun, the fukubuchou of the tennis team – I convinced him to bring the team out as a publicity sort of thing. If the tennis team comes, other people might start showing up."

Ah, Akaro. Ever the businessman.

"Oh, yeah, and Oishi-kun tipped me off that they needed a manager for the club, and he said that they might buy one for the day at our auction… Just forewarning you."

Oh, geez… This could end badly. Very badly in fact. We've got more than one fangirl on the team, not to mention a fanboy… I pray for the tennis team's well-being if they bid and win one of them.

"Alright," I mumbled to myself, stepping into the goalie's box, "Let's get this started."

I'm the goalie because I'm fast. It's that simple. My reflexes are good, and I can fly to the ball. I'm not a powerhouse; I'm not skilled with footwork. But when I'm in that goalie outfit, I can make some things happen. Out on this field is the one place where I feel alright in my skin, like I'm doing everything right.

Even if I'm confident in my own abilities, that doesn't mean that our team's the greatest ever placed on this earth. In fact, while we have the talent required to be a good team, we can't _play_ as a team. Some of us push too hard, some of us don't push enough. Internal conflict runs rampant through our ranks, and Akaro has to try his hardest just to keep us all together with our heads on straight.

When the ball was put in play, I snapped out of my thoughts, watching as Akaro at center forward took the ball. And bam. Score. I grinned.

We had a shot at this one. Maybe.

Fudomine had an all boys team, which generally isn't a good thing for me. It's not sexism – guys in general kick harder than girls, which makes for harder saves. Not that I'm complaining; I'm just stating a fact.

For example, in this game, I went for the ball, and I just grasped it when it went right through my hands, sheer power pulling it away from me.

I was muttering all kind of profanities under my breath – I'm a completely different person when I play this sport. My inhibitions leave me, and carnal instincts are all that remain. We were leading four-three with only ten seconds left on the clock when one of their forwardss came at me with the ball. Looking over and realizing that he only had six seconds left, he ran the last few feet he could before crushing the ball.

It was a desperation shot, but it was a damn good one. Lower left corner – and I was in the right corner. My eyes widened; there was absolutely no way that I could miss this shot. I took two steps and dove towards where I'd read the ball would go… And I dove two seconds early.

The game ended in a tie.

I stayed there on the ground for seconds, minutes, what seemed like hours, just internally beating myself to shreds over missing that last damn save.

"Stop it." I heard a voice that I recognized as Akaro. "You do this every time you miss a save in the last few seconds. It's not your fault. The forwards could have just as easily scored again. The defense could have covered you better. Not everything rests on your shoulders." I looked up at him.

"That doesn't make me any less pissed off at myself." I glared into his eyes, rage seething from every pore in my body. He narrowed his eyes – Akaro hates it when I'm like this, which is relatively often.

"Go." He pointed towards the middle of the field. "Shake hands. Now."

"Okay, Mom…"

"_Go_."

"I'm going, leave me alone." I sullenly shook hands with the other team, and then went to the locker room, changing quickly and exiting to go home. I was so wrapped up inside my own head that I plowed into a guy just outside the locker room's entrance.

"Ah… Sorry, Fuji-san." My anger had died a bit, mellowing out into post-loss depression.

"Good game today," Fuji commented. We knew of each other, but we didn't actually know each other – we were in the same class, but we didn't talk much, er, well, at all.

"Heh. Good joke," I said, "We would've won if I'd made that last save, but I didn't time it right."

"You can't win them all," he said, empty smile on his face. This was rather out of character for Fuji – I wasn't completely sure why he was talking to me. He's not the type to just come up and start a conversation for no reason. An awkward silence ensued, and I shifted my bag on my shoulder.

"Uh… Well, Fuji-san, I should really be going. It was good talking to you." I smiled weakly at him, sadness from the loss still eminent in my features.

"Ah, yes. Well, I'll see you in class." I walked away, accidentally brushing his shoulder, too wrapped up in my thoughts to think much of it.

* * *

"Well," our coach spoke, "welcome, to the auction of the Seishun Gakuen soccer players!" Polite applause spattered across the auditorium, and I looked for my place again in the line-up. Second to last.

Time went by, and finally the coach called my name.

"And here's our goalie! She's resilient, quick, and extremely competitive, almost to a fault! Let the bidding for her services begin!"

Ohmigod… He made me sound like a prostitute…

The bidding went on for a minute or two, and I wasn't even paying attention to who was still trying for me. I waited for the end, when the coach would announce who had bought me.

"And, _sold, _to the Seigaku tennis team!" _WHAT?!_ My eyes flashed open. The… tennis team? What on earth…

"_Oh, yeah, and Oishi-kun tipped me off that they needed a manager for the club, and he said that they might buy one for the day at our auction… Just forewarning you."_

My eyes flickered over to Akaro, who was the last one to be auctioned off. He knew all along… Bastard…

"Well, get on down there to your temporary owners!" Coach practically shoved me off the stage, and I walked over to the group of boys and their coach, Ryuuzaki Sumire, who gave me a wicked smile.

"You're in for a ton of fun tomorrow. You'll be taste-testing for Inui Sadaharu, our student trainer."

I looked over to the boy with square glasses, who waved slightly. "I'll greatly appreciate your help." A redhead looked at me with pitying eyes. "I don't envy you, nyah." I swallowed roughly. I didn't like the way that all this was sounding.

* * *

"Are… Are you sure this is safe?" I picked up the beaker filled with semi-solid green liquid that oozed back and forth when I tipped it.

"Everything I put in it is edible," Inui said. I gulped. Well… It's for the soccer team, so I have to do it. I quickly swallowed it, chest burning immediately after it went down my throat. "Water! _Water!_"

With that, I bolted across the tennis courts, much to the amusement to all of the regulars who had tasted the drink before.

"Eh, too much for you, senpai?" I heard Momoshiro say.

"Unh… Go away… Momo-chan…" I said choppily, in-between breaths at the water fountain.

"I don't know what you think you're doing." I froze at the sound of Inui's voice. "We have much more work to do." I gave Momo a look, and he shrugged his shoulders.

"Sorry, senpai, I've got a match to play." Damn it, Momo…

I picked myself up from the ground, and dragged myself to the area of Seigaku Junior High that will forever be known to me as Mad Scientist Inui's Laboratory for several more hours of torture.

* * *

By the end of the day, I was completely beat, even more so than I am after the first day of soccer conditioning. I laid there, sprawled out on the ground beside the table that held all of Inui's drinks.

"Well," he said, "I suppose we are done for the day. I must say that you are a very determined young woman to have withstood all of the Inui drinks."

I breathed hard, not sure how to take that. In the end, I just continued to lay on the ground breathing heavily. Inui left, and I didn't move a muscle.

"Ah, so Inui's drinks affect you? I rather enjoy the taste of them." I looked up in shock, wondering how anyone could say that after the cruelty I'd just endured.

"No! They _suck_!" Fuji laughed. "Why are you laughing?! I'm serious!"

"Would you like me to walk you home?" Fuji asked unexpectedly.

"Well… If I can get up, then sure, that sounds peachy." I struggled to get up, Fuji standing there doing nothing at all to help.

"I could use a hand!"

"Oh, of course." Yeah, as if he just didn't enjoy watching me suffer. Fuji Syuusuke is cute – I will give him that much – but he is also a massive creeper.

He helped me up, and as soon as I was on my feet, I took another swig from the water fountain.

"Okay. I'm good now. Let's go." The sun was setting – dusk is my favorite time of night. It's absolutely beautiful. I actually forgot Fuji was with me, and I ran up the larger hill on the way home, standing at the top with my hands on my hips and my feet spread apart, taking in the view. I heard a pop, and turned around quickly to see Fuji putting away a camera.

"Eh? Oh! I hate pictures…"

"I'm very sorry, it was just too perfect a picture not to take."

"I… I guess its okay, Fuji-kun. May I call you that?"

"By all means." It was quiet between us as we stood at the top of the hill.

"Fuji-kun… I have a question…"

"Go ahead."

"Do you ever wonder if… if you're going to die without meaning something?"

"Hm. I've never really thought about it."

"I think that's my greatest fear. Dying without meaning something."

He began walking again, closed eyes and empty smile in place. We stopped at my door, wished each other good night, and went our separate ways.

* * *

"Alright, everyone. Today we're going to draw for conversation partners. This person will be the one you practice English with for the rest of the year." The teacher came around with half the class's names in a bowl, and I drew…

"Uh… Kikumaru Eiji?"

"That's me, nyah!" The redhead who had warned me against Inui's drinks popped up and walked over to the desk beside me. He smiled brightly, and I laughed as Fuji drew one of his fangirls, who shrieked in delight. Fuji and I had grown to be good friends – in fact, every day for the past two weeks we've walked home together from school, seeing as how soccer and tennis practices get done at the same time.

"Oh… You're Fujiko's friend, right? The one he walks with all the time, nyah?" I blushed a bit as Kikumaru said this.

"Yeah, that's me, Kikumaru-san."

"Oh, no, call me Eiji!" I smiled. I liked this kid.

* * *

"So, are you pleased with your conversation partner?"

"Why, yes, Fuji-kun, I am. Eiji-kun makes for… interesting company, to say the least." I laughed. We were on the way home from school. "And yourself? How does your partner suit you?"

"She's a nice enough girl." He left it at that. I don't think he was overly pleased with her, to be honest. The walk home was quiet, and Fuji finally said, "We won't be able to walk home together tomorrow."

I crinkled up my nose in confusion. "Why?"

"We have a match against Hyoutei Gakuen…" My face fell.

"Ah. Okay."

"You could come, if you want." I looked up at him.

"I just might do that… Oh, wait. I can't. We've got a game at St. Rudolph tomorrow…"

Fuji's ears perked up. "Ah, St. Rudolph? Hm. You might see my brother Yuuta there. Or not. He's not really one for much more than tennis." I smiled sadly. It made me a little depressed that I wouldn't get to walk home with Fuji-kun tomorrow.

"Good night, Fuji-kun."

"Good night."

* * *

We actually won the game against St. Rudolph. I was ecstatic – I couldn't believe we won.

"So…" Kiyomi started slyly as we were getting ready to head home. "What's the deal with you and Fuji-san?" My cheeks turned pink, and I hoped it was dark enough for her not to notice.

"Eh? There's no thing. Fuji-kun and I are just friends."

"People don't blush when they're talking about they're friends," Kiyomi remarked evilly.

"_Good night, Kiyomi-chan._"

"Good night, dearest friend. And fret not when love comes knocking!"

I was out of there as fast as was humanly possible. Stupid Kiyomi. What the hell did she know anyway?

…I was really hoping this crush was just going to float away without anyone other than myself realizing it was there.

* * *

Eiji-kun and I had gotten to be good friends as conversation partners. His English was choppy, but mine was too, so we were a perfect match for each other in that department. His enthusiasm sometimes got under my skin, but overall I liked Kikumaru Eiji.

It was the end of the day, and I was getting ready to leave the classroom. Everyone except for Eiji, Fuji, and I had already left, and as I left the room I heard Eiji yell, "Wait, nyah! I have to ask you something!"

When Eiji caught up with me, he was talking so fast I could barely understand him. All I caught was, "youshouldcometoourmatchtomorrowfujikoandiwouldlovethat".

My brain stalled what with all the information it was trying to take in. "Wait… Start over Eiji. Talk slower."

"I told Fujiko that you should come to our match tomorrow, and he said he'd asked you to come to the one yesterday but you couldn't because you had a soccer game! So you should come to the one tomorrow, nyah!"

I looked at Eiji, head tilted sideways. "Um… I'll see what I can do, okay Eiji-kun?"

He smiled widely. "Okay!" After giving me a massive hug, he was off to the tennis courts with Fuji, and I was on my way to the soccer field.

* * *

After practice, like always, Fuji met me at the front doors of Seigaku, empty smile on his face like always. We walked in silence for a moment. I finally said, "It really pisses me off that you don't open your eyes. I wanna know if they're pretty or not. I have a thing for pretty eyes."

Fuji laughed. "My eyes only open on special occasions – excitement, anger, extreme joy – it doesn't happen often." I pouted a bit.

"But, Fuji-kunnnn… I wanna see them!" Fuji laughed again.

"What's so funny?"

"You sound just like Eiji." We were quiet again for awhile, walking in silence. Suddenly, Fuji's voice cut through the silence.

"Do you remember the first time we walked home together? When you asked me if I ever wondered if I was going to die without meaning something? I have an answer to that."

I looked over to him; he'd stopped walking. "Yes or no?"

"No." He said it as if it was nothing, without hesitating for a second. "And this is why I don't ever wonder that. Because everyone means something to someone. No matter how insignificant, and how small – each person means something to someone." I looked away.

"Funny. You're so confident that someone would be willing to take a fall for you, care for you – and you should be, you're an amazing person Fuji-kun."

"You don't have anything to worry about either. I'm almost one hundred percent positive that you're cared for."

We were at my door, and I looked into his face, confused. "Wha… What do you mean, Fuji-kun?"

"Just because I'm a bit sadistic doesn't mean I can't care about people." My mouth opened in a shocked "o", which quickly faded away into a gentle smile.

"Ah, Syuusuke-kun, you're quite the charmer." I went out on a limb, hoping I wasn't being too bold with the change in formality, and reached up and kissed him on the lips quickly, cheeks turning pink.

"So… I'll see you at our match tomorrow, correct?" Fuji seemed completely unfazed by the entire ordeal, and I couldn't tell if he was pleased or annoyed with me until he asked me that.

"Uh… Of course, Syuusuke-kun." His eyes opened, and the intense blue color scorched through my soul. I couldn't move, and my blush deepened.

"You wanted to see my eyes, I believe? Do they live up to your imagination?" he asked, mischief twinkling in his icy blues. I couldn't say anything, completely struck by the man I was in front of.

"You're quite cute when you blush."

My entire face went crimson.

* * *

_***HEY! Anyone notice the OC didn't have a name? xD***_


End file.
